Mining-dredge.



W. T. URIE.

MINING DBEDGE.

` No. 678,|47. Patented Iuly 9, |90I.

I (Application med July 1s, woo.) (No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 1.

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No. v[578,I47. 'Patented l'uly 95 |90l.

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nimm; DREDGE.

. (Application filed July 13, 1900.) (No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 3-.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.'

VILLIAM T. URIE, OF KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI.

.MININGFDREDGE SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 678,147, dated July 9, 1901.

' Appnanon inea Juiyyis, 1900. sentira. 23,524. (No model.)

and I do hereby declare thatv the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the in-K4 vention, such as will enable others to make and use the same, reference being had tothe accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification. i

The objects of my in vention are, first, mechanism upon a mining-dredge controlling the reciprocal movements of the dredge in passing over the material to be removed; second, the regulation of the degrees of speed of the controlling mechanism, and, third, the impulse to the dredge-boat while excavating the material.

The invention consists in the novel construction and combination of parts,`such as will be first fully described, and specifically pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side'elevation of the mining-dredge with the excavating devices in position for removing the material and the dredge moored in the stream, showing the invention applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a plan View of the improved dredge, showing the alternately wound and unwound boatmoving cables and the position of the dredgeboat in dotted lines at the completion of the lateral movements. Fig. 3 is a view of the dredge,taken at the forward end,with portions of the side floats and operating-levers to the friction-gear broken away. Fig. 4 is a plan view in detail of the mechanism for moving the pinion of the friction-gear upon the powerconveying shaft into engagement with' the disk. Fig. 5 is an enlarged end view' indetail of the friction-gear, showing the pinion and its adjusting-rod. Fig. v6,is a vertical sectional View of the pinion, showing the external grooved collar and the ring, and also showingV the groove in the Vpinion for the spline on the power-shaft. Fig.` '7 isa horizontal sectionalview of theeccentric journal for the shaft carrying. the pinionvof the friction-gear, taken upon the line a: a; of Fig. 8. Fig. S is a vertical sectional view taken upon the line y y of Fig. 7. Fig. 9 is a vertical i sectional view of the devices for .adjusting the position ofthe rod carrying the pinion of the friction-gear.. v

Similarv letters of reference indicatecorrevspending parts in all the figures.

Referring'to the drawings, A represents a dredge boat or barge of the proper dimensions for'carrying'the dredging appliances and which is provided with a horizontal deck `d,vevxten`dingthe length and width of the boat.` Inthe forwardend of the dredge-boat A is a wellaz, extending through s aid4 end and rearwardly a considerable distance for the `convenient operation ofthe dredging devices, the sides 0,3 a3 of the well being hermetically closed against the entry of water into the boat. Upon the deck a, upon each side of and towardvthe rear end of the Well a2, are the up'- Aright frames B B, each composed ofthe stand'- ards Z9 b, arranged a considerable distance` apart `from each other and extending upwardly the proper height above the deck a. The upper ends of the standards b b in each frame B are connected by a horizontal beam 262, extending in thelongitudinal direction of theboat, and said frames B B are connected at their forward ends by the transverse beam b3 and the rear endsby the transverse beam 8o` b4. Connected vwith each standard b b in each frame B, a short distan ce downwardly from the beam b2, is a horizontal beam b5, which supports the shaft for the large sprocket-wheel actuating the material-conveying buckets.

With the standards b-b in said frame B, at a point about one-third the distance upwardly from the deck atoward the beam b2, is connected a horizontal beam bs, which beam supi described.

, Upon one side of the frame B, near the forward end and in the same plane as the beam b2, is a platform B', consisting of the beam o7, which is connected at one end With an outward extension of the transverse ybeam be at the forward end ofv the frame B, and the short beam 118, connectedY with the other end of beam 57 and extending at rightangles thereto and connected with the beam yb2. v

A little over one-half the distance from the' platform B to the deck a and directly beneath the said platform is a horizontal frame C, composed of the longitudinal beam c and the ports the shaft carrying the disk, hereinafter 9o Ido short beams c c2, extending at right angles thereto, and the inner ends of the beam secured to the standard b, and the inner end of the beam c2 to a short standard b9, arranged at a point on the deck a equidistant from the standards l) b and secured to the horizontal beam 126. About equidistant from the frame C to the deck a and directly beneath said frame C is a frame D, which is of the same dimensions and secured to the outer side of Aframe B in like manner as frame C.

E represents the main power-shaft, conveying power to the dredging devices, which is journaled upon the beams 195125 in the frames B B at a point about one-third the distance rearwardly from the forward standards b Z), and with which shaft is pivotally connected at one end the longitudinal trussed beamsF F of the ordinary construction. Upon shaft E, on the inner side of the beams F F, are the sprocket-wheels e e. In the lower end of the trussbeams F F, upon the transverse shaft e2, are the sprocket-wheels e3 e3. Over the sprocket-wheels e e, at the upper end of the beams F F,is extended one end of the sprocketchains e4 e4, the other ends of which chains are extended over the sprocket-wheels e3 e3 and the ends of the sprocket-chains connected together in the usual manner. Upon the upper edges of the beams F F are journaled the series of shafts ff, which are arranged a short distance apart and 'upon each one of which shafts are friction-rollers ff, which sustain the weight of the sprocket-chains e4 e4. Upon the sprocket-chains e4 e4 are secured in the usual manner the series of material-excavating buckets G, which are arranged the proper distance apart and are of the usual description of excavator-bucket.

For the purpose of raising the lower end of the truss beams and also regulating the depth of entry of the excavator buckets within the-material upon the deck et and at the forward end of the boat upon each side of the well a2 are the standards h h, the upper ends of which standards are inclined forward at an angle of inclination to the deck a, and the upper end connected together by a transverse beam h. The standards h hare supported in their outward inclined position by a frame I-I on each side of the Well a2, each frame having the horizontal beam h2, connccted with the forward beam b of each frame B at one end and with the standards 7L 7L at the other end. These beams 72,2 are suitably trussed at h3 h3 upon the upper side l R, the upper end of which shaft extends upand also by the beams h4 h4 upon the lower side, the latter beams being connected with the deck a. Upon the transverse beam h is a block h5, and connected with the lower ends of the truss-beams F F is a sheave or block h6,with which sheave is connected one end of an elevator chain or rope hl', the other end of which rope is passed through the sheave h, thence through the sheave h5, and thence to a convenient point upon the frame B for the convenience of operation.

Upon each end of the rotating shaft E on the frames B B, which extend a short distance beyond the outer sides of the said frame, are the sprocket-wheels I Lwhich are of considerable size. Upon the transverse beams bb, aboutone-thrd the distance from the forward standards b b on the frames B B toward the rear standards in said frames, is journaled the transverse shaft K, the ends of which shaft extend a short distance beyond the outer side of said frames, and upon said ends are the small sprocket-wheels 7c 7c. Over the sprocket-wheels I I are extended one end of the sprocket-chains 7.5' 7a', the other ends of which chains extend over the sprocket-wheels 7c 7a and the ends of said chains connected together in the usual manner.

Upon the under side of the beam 116 in the frame B, having platforms C D a short'distance rearwardly from a vertical line extending through the shaft K, is journaled one end of a transverse power-shaft L, the other end of which shaft extends to the frame B upon the other side of the well a2 and a short dis tance beyond the outer side of said frame and is journaled in the upper end of a support or standard M upon the deck a. Upon the shaft K, on the inner side of frame B, is a large gear k2, and upon the shaft L is a small gear Z, which meshes with the gear 7a2 on K. Upon shaft L, on the inner side of the standard M, is a band-wheel N.

Upon the outer end of shaft K, extending beyond the outer side of the frame B, having the frames C D, is a large disk O. Upon the inner side of the longitudinal beam c of the frame C, about midway from the beams c c2, is an eccentric journal-box I), consisting of a wall-plate 19, (see Figs. 7 and '8,) upon which is a casing p', having the vertical opening p21?, in which opening is a rotating cylindrical casting p3, upon the lower end of which is an annular iiange p4, which retains `the casting or journal within the opening p2.

Upon the upper end of the casting p3, which extends below the under side of the casing p', is a horizontally-extended arm or lever p5.

,Through the cylindrical castin0r 3 in a ver- D I D 3 tical direction and at one side of the line of the axis of said casting, is a shaftopeningp. :Upon the inner side of the longitudinal beam `in the frame D is an eccentric journal-box,

which is the same as the box P and inverted in position.

In the journal-boxes P P is a rotating shaft wardly to the height of the journal-box P on the beam C. Upon the platform B is a post S, through which extends in a vertical direction an opening s. Upon the top of the post S is a nut s2, upon the lower edge of which nut is an annular ange S3.

s4 is an operating-wheel, of which the nut s2 forms the hub, the radial spokes .S5 extend ing from the nut s2 to the rim of the wheel.

s is an annular collar secured to the top IOO IIO

of the post S by the bolts S7 and having an internal annular ange SS, which extends over the annular flange s3 on the nut s2.

Upon the shaft R opposite the disk O is a small friction wheel or pinion T, upon the under side of which wheel is an annular collar t, in which collar is a groove t, extending around said collar, and in which groove is a ring t2. Upon the shaft R is a feather or spline r, extending nearly the distance from one journal-box P to the other. In the friction-wheel T and collar t is a groove t4, which receives the spline r, so as to move upward and at the same time rotate with said shaft R.

U is an adjusting-rod for the pinion or wheel T, the upper end of which rod is screwthreaded and extends upwardly through the platform B and the post S and the nuts s2 on said post. The lower end of the rod U is bent at right angles at u and said bent end perforated and extended over the pin t3` on the ring t2. In an opening in pin t2 is a split key t5, which secures the bent'end of the rod U to the ring t2. Upon the outer side of the beam c of the frame C and upon the corresponding beam in the frame I) and the beam b3 are journal-boxes c u, in which boxes is a vertical shaft V. 'Upon the shaft V above and below the plane of the platforms Cv D are crank-armsf0202, and with said arms are pivotally connected one end of a crank-rod l02', the otherends of which rod are pivotally connected with the arms p5 in the eccentric journals P P. Upon the upper end of the rod V, which extends above the platform B', is a crank 04. The lower end of shaft R extends downwardly nearly to the deck a, and upon said end is a bevel-gear r4.

Upon the deck a on the outer side of the frames H H are rope-winding drums W W, mounted upon a longitudinal rotating shaft w, journaled in the uprights t0 w. With said drums WV W are connected and also wound the inner ends of said cables 'L02 102, the outer ends of said cables having loops w3, which extend over fixed supports 104 t0i in the bed of t-he stream or upon the banks of the stream, as preferred. The inner end of one shaft t0 extends in the direction of thebevelgear r4 in the shaft R, and upon said end is a bevel-gear w, which meshes with the said gear r4. On the shafts t0 10 are sprocketwheels 10G 20G. Over the ends of the sprocketwheels wiwG is extended one end of a sprocketchain t07 and the two ends of thechain secured together in the usual manner. Upon the deck a at the rear end of the boat is a boiler X and an engine Y, receiving steam from the boiler through pipe y. Upon the driving-shaft of the engine 4is a band-wheel y2, over which extends one end of a belt or band ys, the other end or" which belt is extended over the band-wheel N on the shaft L in the frames B B and the two ends connected together in the usual manner.

Z Z are vertically-movable spuds or spars at the rear end of the dredge-boat, which are of considerable length, so as to extend in the bed of the stream and act alternately in change ofthe angle of the boat. These spuds are square in cross-section andare slidable in the square boxes z c, secured to the rear end ofthe dredge-boat. These spuds are employed alternately and are raised and lowered in position by an ordinary rope or chain z2, connected at one end with the spud near its lower end, the upperend extending upwardly betweenthe Spud and the end of the boat in the grooves e3 in the boxes Z Z, thence over the pulleys z* 54 in the standards z5 c5 on the deck a, and thence to and connected with the ordinary Winches c6 ,c6 on the deck a.

The dredge-boat being moored in position in the stream, as shown in Figs. l and 2, by the cables 102102 and one of the spuds Z, which acts as a pivot, and the truss-frames F F, carrying the excavator-buckets G G, lowered in position at their outer ends by the releasing of the elevator-rope hi in the sheave h5 h6, so as to reach the material in the bed of the stream, the operation is as follows: Power from the engine Y is transmitted through the belt y2 to the shaft L through the 4band-pulley N, thence from the shaft L to the shaft K, upon which is the disk O, through the meshing gear Z and k2, and from the shaft K to the shaft E through the sprocket-wheels 7s and I and the sprocketfchain 7c', which power actuates the sprocket-wheels e and e3 on the truss-frames F F and the chain e", and the series of excavator-buckets G are caused to move toward and enter the material in the bed of the river,and the material is excavated by the buckets G, is dumped upon an inclined chute G', and thence upon the deck a, and from which it is removed by any Wellknown means. In the excavation of aurifer- .ous material the usual screens are employed to screen the material and the debris dumped into the stream. During the operation of the buckets G G the rod V is operated by the crank 04 by the person stationed upon the platform B' to throw the arms f02 from the position seen in-dotted lines in Fig. t to the po-y sition shown in full lines, which movement actuates the crank-rods 03 02 and the armsp5 p5 on the eccentric j ournal-boxes P P, and the shaft R is moved a slight degreeinwardly toward the disk O,Which action causes thepinion T to come into close contact with the face of the disk O, and power is transmitted from said IOO IIO

disk to the shaft R, thence through the bevel-` y shown in dotted lines, Fig. 2, the course of movement being from the spud Z near the far side of the boat. The position of the pinion T at the time of its cont-act with the disk O being at or near the periphery of the disk, as seen in full lines in Fig. 5, as soon as the lateral movement of the dredge-boat before mentioned is completed the operator upon the platform B operates the shaft V to move the pinion T away from contact with the disk O. The spud Z, which has acted as a pivot to the movement, is raised in position and the other spud lowered in position. The operator then rotates the wheel s4 upon the post S in the proper direction, and the shaft U is moved upwardly within the nut S2, Carrying the pinion 'l across the face of the disk O to the position seen in dotted lines in Fig. 5. The shaft V is then operated to move the pinion T into engagement with the disk O, the movement of the pinion acting to reverse the movement of shaft R, and consequcntly the direction of the movement of the drums W W, and the forward end of the dredge-boat moves in an opposite lateral direction to the first movement described, these lateral movements being reciprocal as often as the position ofthe pinion T is changed relatively to the disk O, and at the same time the spuds Z Z take position one in advance ot' the position of the other, imparting an impulse forward to the dredge-boat, so that as the movement of the boat progresses other fixed points are found with which to connect the cables 102 wz, and in this manner the eX- cavation is obtained over a large area of the material. In order to impart a slow degree of speed to the drums WV W, the pinion T is moved toward the center of the disk O, these adjustments of position being obtained in the manner heretofore described, the eect being that while the excavator-buckets are performing their work at an accelerated or slow degree of speed, as may be desired, the degree ot' speed of movement laterally of the dredge is regulated to accommodate any condition of the material and also at a slow degree of speed to meet an accelerated degree of speed of the buckets.

It is obvious that in place of the separate drums W lV one drum maybe employed when found advantageous, over which the intermediate portion of a single cable may be wound, the ends of the cable being connected with fixed points 104 104. The friction-gear, whenever sudden strain is sustained by the cables 1,02 to2, will afford the relief necessary in such instances. The frames B B may be at the eXtreme forward end of the boat, if preferred.

' Having fully described my invention, what l now claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, isM

.1. A dredge-boat, and alternating cable winding and unwinding drums thereon, and separate cables having their free ends extending in opposite directions and laterally from the forward end of said dredge-boat, and connected with suitable, fixed points, separate vertically-movable boat-anchoring spuds or spars connected with the rear end of said dredge-boat and adapted to be lowered in po sition alternately, a main power-shaft, and an engine and its driving-shaft,power-conveying devices connected with the driving-shaft of said engine and the main power-shaft, a separate, horizontal shaft upon said boat, actuated by the main 'power-shaft and a vertical power-transmitting shaft connected with and actuating the drums carrying said cables, and suitable friction-gearing connecting said horizontal and said Vertical power-transmitting shafts.

2. A dredge -boat and alternating cable winding and unwinding drums thereon, and separate power-shafts carrying said drums, and sprocket-wheels on said shafts, and a sprocket-chain extending over said sprocket- Wheels, cables upon said drums, having their free ends extending laterally from the forward end of said boat and connected with separate fixed points, a main power-shaft journaled upon said boat, a horizontal shaft upon said boat and an engine and its drivingshaft, and power-conveying devices connected with the driving-shaft of said engine and said horizontal shaft, and also With said horizontal shaft and said main power-shaft, a vertical power-shaft connected with one of the drum-carrying shafts and friction-gear connecting the said horizontal and vertical vpower-tmansmitting shafts, and means substantiallyas described for changing the speed of said gear.

WILLIAM T. URiE. Witnesses:

E. L. MARLIN, JOHN T. MARSHALL.

IOO 

